Orphan Ailments: Diseases that You Never Imagined Exist

AIDS, Ebola and cancer are diseases that we read about often. Some diseases receive extra media attention.

But a minority of people suffer from rare diseases, which few people have ever known that they may exist. Sometimes called orphan diseases, they affect a very few people.

Morgellons
Its main exhibits are crawling, biting and stinging sensations, coupled with the appearance of strange coloured fibres from the skin.

A disease that affects nearly 14 000 individuals according to experts – it is often accompanied by exhaustion, short-term memory loss, joint pain and changes in vision.

Named Morgellons in 2002 – it is derived from a 17th century skin condition found in France.

However, heated debates have emanated over the existence of the disease – with most doctors in 2008 believing that it was a form of delusion, in which patients believe they are infected with parasites.

Tree Man Disease

Progeria
Affecting one in 8 million children born – Progeria is congenital, meaning a damage to a foetus. Sufferers have an appearance of premature ageing, but die at an average age of 13.

Profound growth delays start at early, leading to abnormal facial developments such as a small face, bulging, prominent eyes plus an underdeveloped jaw.

During the second birthday, hair from the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes is lost. Progeria victims eventually lose the layer of fat beneath the skin and in time, elasticity is lost in artery walls, leading to fatality through heart attack or stroke in 90 percent of victims.

Water Allergy
Imagine having to shower for 10 seconds per week – and you can only drink diet coke because you are hypersensitive to non-distilled water. And exposure to rain can result in a painful burning rash.

Known to have ever caused discomfort to 30 people only, water allergy or 'aquagenic urticaria' is very rare. Sufferers appear to be allergic to water. It usually occurs late in life and is often a result of a hormonal imbalance caused by child birth.

'Tree man syndrome'What appears as tree shoots growing out of someone’s skin may be Epidermodysplasia verruciformis which has no cure thought there are known treatment options that can lessen symptoms.

These growths are actually warts that can be worsened by exposure to sunlight. The warts maybe not harmful at first – but may become malignant later in life. The warts are caused by a rare gene mutation. - Online Sources